The report drew heavy criticism from public officials and coastal developers. Their protests led to legislative action that temporarily prohibited policy decisions and directed the panel to complete a new report that forecasts only for 30 years. The panel met on September 24th and will release a draft report by the end of the year.

This week, Duke Energy has paid $171 million to shareholders and the state of North Carolina.

The first bill was for $146 million to settle a lawsuit that claimed the company misled shareholders when it agreed to a merger with Progress Energy in 2012. The other $25 million was a fine from the state for spilling coal ash at a power plant in Wilmington.

Meanwhile, the conversation continues about how to dispose of the coal ash sitting at 14 sites across the state.